Chemiluminescent devices are non-incandescent products which produce light from a chemical mixture. A variety of chemiluminescent devices have been patented which may be classified as "novelty" devices. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,158,349 and 5,390,086 disclose inventions applicable to chemiluminescent illuminated necklaces, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,949 discloses a chemiluminescent device applicable to novelty glowing shapes.
The basic chemiluminescent process produces light when two chemical solutions are combined. The solutions are kept physically separated prior to activation. Typically a sealed frangible glass vial containing a first solution is housed in a second flexible vessel which contains a second solution. This second vessel is sealed to contain both the second solution and the frangible vial. When the container is flexed, forces created by intimate contact with the internal vial cause the vial to rupture, thereby releasing the first solution. The first and second solutions mix and the reaction produces light. Since the object of these types of devices is to produce usable light output, the outer vessel is made of a clear or translucent material such as polyethylene or polypropylene which permits the light produced by the reaction to pass through the vessel walls. Chemiluminescent light may be generated in a variety of visible colors as well as non-visible infrared, which may be viewed through the use of special optical systems. One example of such a chemiluminescent system is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,851.
A commercially available chemiluminescent system to produce a yellow light is:
______________________________________ Component Weight Percent ______________________________________ Dibutyl Phthalate 66.45% Dimethyl Phthalate 20.35% CPPO* 8.33% T-butyl alcohol 3.3% 90% aq. Hydrogen Peroxide 1.32% CBPEA* 0.23% Sodium Salicylate .0025% Total 99.98% (apparent addition error result from rounding. ______________________________________ CPPO = bis(2,4,5trichloro-6-carbopentoxyphenyl)oxalate CBPEA = 1chloro-9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene
The chemical solutions in the aforementioned systems are generally referred to as the "oxalate" component and the "activator" component. The oxalate component in the above system would contain: Dibutyl Phthalate, CPPO and CBPEA. The activator solution in the above system would contain: Dimethyl Phthalate, T-butyl alcohol, 90% aq. Hydrogen Peroxide, Sodium Salicylate.
Other non-incandescent, chemical means of producing light which may be advantageously employed include bioluminescent systems, or alternately, chemiluminescent systems based on dioxetanes or other chemiluminescent reagents. Toy and novelty applications which utilizes bioluminescent systems are taught in PCT-WO 97/29319.
The instant invention is directed to the use of a chemiluminescent device in combination with a drinking straw. The unique lighting effects generated from chemiluminescent lighting devices are enhanced by the inherent optical properties of beverages. Beverage fluid motion, color, clarity and degree of effervescence, if any, all serve to add to the interest of the instant invention. While chemiluminescence has been employed to produce various forms of illuminated drinking vessels and novelty items such as "swizzle" sticks, heretofore no device has been produced which utilizes the intrinsically interesting nature of beverage fluid travel in transparent or partially transparent tubes or drinking straws.
Drinking straws have fascinated both children and adults in view of the beverage motion that occurs through the straws. Colorful stripes or spirals have been added to the outside of the drinking straws to further enhance this experience. Advertising or other indicia may be included in graphics which may be imprinted on the straw. Some drinking straws, rather than simply consisting of a straight tube are curved or bent. Indeed, drinking straws exist which are twisted into knots or elaborate three dimensional designs comprised of loops, spirals and the like. One company even offers a wearable drinking straw which resembles a pair of eyeglasses. Flexible plastic tubes connect one end of the "eyeglasses" to the user's mouth while a second flexible tube connected to the other end of the "eyeglasses" is placed in the beverage vessel. Sucking on the first flexible tube draws the beverage up the second flexible tube, through the "eyeglasses" and finally, through the first flexible tube into the user's mouth.
If the beverage is colored, as are many soft drinks, the effect of the beverage traveling through the plastic tubes is further enhanced. Many times beverages are served at restaurants, bars or house parties where the ambient light level is purposely reduced to enhance atmosphere. In these situations of reduced lighting many of the previously mentioned drinking straws lose their appeal. Firstly, the reduced lighting makes it difficult to see the presence of the beverage in the straw. Secondly, any decorative graphics such as stripes or spirals which may be imprinted on the straw become difficult to see in these reduced lighting environments.
A drinking straw that not only permitted visible movement of the beverage but also was self illuminating is clearly of interest. Indeed, not only can the beverage in the straw be illuminated by such a device but also any beverage in the cup, glass or other container in which the straw is placed. If the straw and the chemiluminescent lighting means are in relative close proximity, it is even possible to effect a color change in the apparent light produced by the device.
For example, if the chemiluminescent device is producing a generally green or yellow light and a red beverage is drawn up through the device, the red beverage can filter out certain spectral portions of the chemiluminescent light to produce an apparent color change. Some dyes or coloring agents can be used not only as color filters but as fluorescers. A fluorescent dye functions by converting light of one wavelength to another wavelength. For example, blue light from a chemiluminescent device might be converted to red light by employing an appropriate fluorescer. This red light could be produced even if there was little or no red light emitted by the chemiluminescent device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,320 teaches to the use of secondary fluorescers similar to those described above. Of course, if such dyes or fluorescers were to be incorporated into a beverage it is necessary that they be completely safe for consumption. A variety of fluorescent proteins exist which may be used in this application, the use of said proteins being taught in PCT-WO 97/29319.
Thus, what is lacking in the art is a novelty drinking straw which can be illuminated through chemiluminescent means.